Reims and Champagne from Paris: train or private driver for the day?
The short answer
The TGV to Reims leaves from Gare de l'Est; according to the Reims tourist office, it gets there in 45 minutes, arriving at Reims-Centre and Champagne-Ardenne TGV, at Bezannes. From there, cellars, vineyards and Épernay are yours to reach. A private driver starts from your address and covers 144 to 177 km via the A4, 1 hr 27 min to 2 hr 17 min without traffic jams, as an indication only, for a fixed price per car: from €429 in a sedan, €499 in a 7-seat van.
The train wins on station-to-station time; the driver wins on how the day runs: no station to get to, Reims and Épernay on the same day if you ask for it, luggage in the boot. The exact arrangement, one way, waiting on site or a same-day return, is confirmed with your price request.
TGV time and arrival stations read on 26 October 2026 (tourist office page, undated); distances and driving times taken from Mappy on 18 October 2026. Sources: Reims tourist office, getting to Reims (in French) and Mappy, Paris → Reims route (in French).
The two options, side by side
Two amounts are missing from the table: the train fare, which changes with the date and which we have not recorded, and the cellar visits, which you pay for either way.
| Point | TGV | Private driver |
|---|---|---|
| Departure | Gare de l'Est, reached from your hotel | Your address in Paris |
| To Reims | 45 minutes station to station, according to the tourist office | 1 hr 27 min to 2 hr 17 min door to door, without traffic jams (indicative) |
| Arrival | Reims-Centre and Champagne-Ardenne TGV, at Bezannes | The address given in your request, in Reims or Épernay |
| Épernay | No train time recorded | 137 to 157 km from Paris, 1 hr 44 min to 2 hr 11 min (indicative) |
| Luggage | Carried by you, from the station to the train | 3 in a sedan, 7 in a van, in the boot |
| Price | SNCF fare of the day, per traveller (not recorded) | Fixed price for the car, from €429 |
| Included | The train journey | Tolls, parking, child seat; arrangement confirmed with your request |
| Left to arrange | Getting around on site, the visits, the return | The visits and their bookings |
The TGV: fast to Reims, the rest is up to you
Trains to Reims and Épernay run from Gare de l'Est, the Paris station for eastern France. The tourist office puts the TGV at 45 minutes to Reims. Depending on the train, you get off at Reims-Centre and Champagne-Ardenne TGV, at Bezannes: check which one is on your ticket before planning the rest of the day.
We give neither fares nor timetables: we have not recorded them, and they change from day to day. SNCF shows them for your travel date. Getting to Gare de l'Est adds to the train time; how much depends on your hotel.
The train leaves you at a station, not at a cellar door. Reaching the vineyards or Épernay takes another means of transport, found locally; with nothing recorded, we put no figure on local taxis or on visits. In the evening, the day ends when your return train leaves.
The private driver: from your door to Reims, then Épernay
By road, Mappy gives 144 to 177 km between Paris and Reims, or 1 hr 27 min to 2 hr 17 min via the A4, and 137 to 157 km to Épernay, or 1 hr 44 min to 2 hr 11 min. These are ranges without traffic jams, indicative only.
The driver collects you wherever you are staying. To see both Reims and Épernay on the same day, say so in your request: the confirmed price takes it into account. A stop added on the way, without being planned, is not included.
The price on our list is a fixed price for the car, the same by day or by night, tolls and parking included. Its arrangement, one way, waiting on site during your visits or a same-day return to Paris, is confirmed with your price request, before any booking: tell us whether you are coming back that evening. The driver drives and, if the arrangement includes it, waits; visits are booked and paid for on your side.
Which one suits your group
For one or two people and a single visit in Reims, the TGV is easy to cost: the day's tickets plus getting around on site. As the group grows, or once the day takes in Épernay, set the two totals side by side. The price of the car does not change however many passengers ride, up to 3 in a sedan and 7 in a van, whereas every train ticket is paid per traveller.
The answer depends on the SNCF fare for your date, which we do not record: we do not claim to know which option will cost you less; we give you a fixed price to compare.
With children, what changes
In France, according to the national road safety agency, a child restraint suited to the child's age, height and weight is compulsory in a car from birth to age 10. With the driver, that seat is included and fitted by the driver, at no extra cost: give each child's age in your request.
The guaranteed V-Class van takes up to 7 passengers and 7 pieces of luggage: the pushchair travels in the boot, with no platform to cross. By train, the family carries everything to the carriage, then looks for local transport.
Paris to Reims or Épernay, the price per vehicle
The price covers the whole car. Tolls and parking, the child seat and free cancellation up to 24 hours before pick-up are included; the arrangement, one way, waiting on site or a same-day return, is confirmed with your request. Visits are at your expense. Other destinations are on the page long distance from Paris with a private driver.
| Service | E-Class sedanup to 3 passengers · 3 bags | V-Class van (guaranteed)up to 7 passengers · 7 bags | S-Classup to 3 passengers · 3 bags |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reims / Épernay | €429 | €499 | €699 |
Price per vehicle, not per passenger, taxes included · 10% VAT included · Prices checked on .
Champagne from your door, at a fixed price
Give us the date, your address in Paris, the stops you want and when you plan to return: we reply with a fixed price and its arrangement.